Bottom Line:
To evaluate the effect of a workplace health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of desk-based employees.Between pretest and posttest the experimental group significantly reduced their MAP, whereas MAP in the control group did not.A workplace e-health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting was effective in decreasing MAP in desk-based employees.

Affiliation: From the Faculty of Education (Mr Mainsbridge and Drs Cooley, Fraser, and Pedersen), University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a workplace health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of desk-based employees.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved an experimental group who received an e-health intervention and a control group who did not. The 13-week intervention passively prompted participants to stand and engage in short bouts of office-based physical activity by interrupting prolonged occupational sitting time periodically throughout the workday. Mean arterial pressure was measured at pretest and posttest.

Results: Between pretest and posttest the experimental group significantly reduced their MAP, whereas MAP in the control group did not.

Conclusions: A workplace e-health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting was effective in decreasing MAP in desk-based employees.

Figure 1: Mean arterial pressure (MAP) values of office-based employees in the experimental group and control group at pretest and posttest. Experimental group (-) and control group ().

Mentions:
Analysis of the dependent variable indicated a significant interaction between group and test, F(1,27) = 6.85, P < 0.05. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the experimental group significantly decreased their MAP from pretest (mean = 100.85 ± 11.94) to posttest (mean = 90.55 ± 11.46) with a large effect size (η2p = 0.67), whereas the control group marginally increased their MAP from pretest (mean = 101.98 ± 16.60) to posttest (mean = 102.07 ± 10.61) with a small effect size (η2p = 0.01). The latter finding did not reach significance.

Figure 1: Mean arterial pressure (MAP) values of office-based employees in the experimental group and control group at pretest and posttest. Experimental group (-) and control group ().

Mentions:
Analysis of the dependent variable indicated a significant interaction between group and test, F(1,27) = 6.85, P < 0.05. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the experimental group significantly decreased their MAP from pretest (mean = 100.85 ± 11.94) to posttest (mean = 90.55 ± 11.46) with a large effect size (η2p = 0.67), whereas the control group marginally increased their MAP from pretest (mean = 101.98 ± 16.60) to posttest (mean = 102.07 ± 10.61) with a small effect size (η2p = 0.01). The latter finding did not reach significance.

Bottom Line:
To evaluate the effect of a workplace health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of desk-based employees.Between pretest and posttest the experimental group significantly reduced their MAP, whereas MAP in the control group did not.A workplace e-health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting was effective in decreasing MAP in desk-based employees.

Affiliation:
From the Faculty of Education (Mr Mainsbridge and Drs Cooley, Fraser, and Pedersen), University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a workplace health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting on the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of desk-based employees.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial involved an experimental group who received an e-health intervention and a control group who did not. The 13-week intervention passively prompted participants to stand and engage in short bouts of office-based physical activity by interrupting prolonged occupational sitting time periodically throughout the workday. Mean arterial pressure was measured at pretest and posttest.

Results: Between pretest and posttest the experimental group significantly reduced their MAP, whereas MAP in the control group did not.

Conclusions: A workplace e-health intervention designed to reduce prolonged occupational sitting was effective in decreasing MAP in desk-based employees.